An Egyptian court has sentenced political activist Hisham Kassem to six months in prison over charges that stemmed from an online spat with a former minister and opposition figure.
Saturday’s verdict is subject to an appeal before a higher court. The case drew condemnation from rights groups and renewed global attention to Egypt’s poor human rights record.
Hisham Kassem, who is a leading official with the Free Current, a coalition of mostly liberal parties, was convicted of slander, defamation and verbally assaulting a police officer, according to Hossam Bahgat, head of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, which represents Kassem before the court.
Bahgat said the court in Cairo also fined Kassem 20,000 Egyptian pounds (approximately $647).
Original from www.aljazeera.com rnrn